


New Year's Eve

by tinx_r



Category: Riptide (TV)
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2009-01-12
Updated: 2009-01-12
Packaged: 2017-11-17 15:51:25
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,587
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/553256
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/tinx_r/pseuds/tinx_r
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>It's New Years, and Murray's got a proposal...</p>
            </blockquote>





	New Year's Eve

**Title:** New Year's Eve  
 **Rating:** PG  
 **Summary:** It's New Years, and Murray's got a proposal...

"Oh, Charlene!" Murray giggled as his pretty girlfriend leaned over him, her big blonde bangs bumping his nose. "Thanks so much!"

"Is she cutting his steak for him?" Nick asked Cody under his breath. Charlene picked up Murray's knife and fork.

"Looks like it," Cody muttered back.

Charlene leaned over Murray's plate and Nick hurriedly averted his eyes as her low-cut top slipped downwards. Murray waved his bandaged right hand and leaned sideways to look past Charlene's cleavage at his partners on the other side of the table. "It's so hard to cut steak with your fingers taped together, guys," he explained.

Cody turned his laugh into a cough. "Sure, Murray," he agreed. "I guess it is. Charlene's taking real good care of you." He felt rather than saw Nick roll his eyes.

Charlene stood up with a smile, stepping back from Murray's sliced, bite-sized pieces of steak and resuming her seat. Murray turned to thank her, leaning in for a kiss, and while Charlene was distracted Cody took the opportunity to reach under the table and squeeze Nick's thigh. Nick's hand closed over his, and Cody shot him a sideways grin, then snatched his hand away as Charlene spoke.

"How's your steak, Cody? Nick?"

"It's great," Cody heard Nick answer, and he nodded vigorously, pasting on a grin. His heart was still beating fast, even though his mind told him it didn't matter if Charlene saw him touch Nick. They were just so used to keeping what they were to each other under wraps. It had taken them years to tell even Murray, their best friend. But Charlene was Murray's fiancee, one of the family now, even if in the beginning both of them had thought he could have done better.

Charlene was pretty and smart, and even though she was nearly 9 years younger than their partner, Murray was in love with her.

And Charlene seemed to love him right back.

In the beginning, Nick had cynically suggested Charlene was in love with the Roboz and all the help Murray gave her with her thesis; and even Cody had wondered whether that was true. Charlene had endured their subtle questioning with amusement - although they'd been less subtle than they'd thought, judging by Murray's outrage - and over a year later she was not only still around, but she'd lured Murray away from the Riptide and into a condo closer to the city.

There had been no reason for Murray not to go. He was in the throes of setting up Roboztics Inc and being closer to the city really suited him a lot better. And besides, the Riptide Detective Agency had been closed for over a year. Murray's timing had coincided with the end of the America's Cup Regatta in San Diego, and the influx of tourists along the whole California coast had been too good an opportunity to pass up, so Cody and Nick had spent three months in the tourist business again. A decision which had paid off.

Cody felt Nick's foot shift against his under the table, and lifted the corner of his mouth in a smile. It had been the right choice, closing the agency. They'd made a lot of money off the tourists, and Nick was sleeping a lot better since they were out of the detective business. Even though they missed Murray, Roboztics was what he'd always dreamed of and it was great to see him so happy with Charlene.

Cody watched Murray fork pre-cut chunks of steak into his mouth. His bandaged hand was in motion, gesturing wildly in explanation of the physics problem he was talking over with his girlfriend. Cody nodded slowly, looking at the bandage. Perhaps that was the best part of being out of the detective business: knowing that Murray's burned and bandaged hand had been caused by nothing worse than his soldering iron. No bad guys busted into their home anymore, and it was a long time since they'd been in a fight. Or been shot at.

Cody shot a glance at Nick, who looked up as though he'd felt Cody's eyes on him and lifted a questioning eyebrow - _you ok?_

Cody nodded yes, a smile lighting his eyes as he heard Murray proclaim, "The coefficient is proof enough, Charlene. When we get home, I'll have Roboz II demonstrate it graphically, all right?"

"I understand that part, Murray," Charlene answered. "It's the exponential growth that's got me floored. It doesn't make sense in the context - "

Nick raised a hand to hide the smile the on his lips, and Cody grinned back, not troubling to hide his amusement, warmed by the laughter in Nick's eyes. He was glad they'd decided to stay in for New Year's this year, sharing a late barbecue dinner with Murray and Charlene before their friends headed off to a party.

"Hey, Nick," Murray said, putting down his fork and picking up his napkin, "that steak was perfect! I wish I could grill like that." He shook his head. "Every time I try it's underdone, or overdone, or tough - "

"Grilling's a fine art, Murray," Nick said. He gestured with his fork. "And you know, not everyone's got the magic touch."

"Hey!" Cody interrupted. "Nick, I cooked the steak. I always grill. Murray, you know that."

"Oh! Well, Cody, when I arrived Nick was taking the steak off the grill so I thought he barbecued today. It's great."

Cody smiled and nodded at Murray. Nick chuckled, low and amused, and Cody's smile widened as he thought of taking his revenge on Nick later for laying claim to Cody's grilling skills. He figured they'd both enjoy that.

"Anyway, guys." Murray was still talking, leaning forward with his elbows on the table. "Like I was saying, why don't you come to the party with us? It's gonna be really boss. There are a whole lot of AI bigshots coming, and they asked me to bring the Roboz and everything - "

Cody heard Nick's chuckle die in his throat, and he answered hurriedly. "Murray - thanks, buddy, but really, Nick and I are just gonna hang out here for a while. We've had a busy year, you know?" The last thing he wanted for tonight was the two of them in a roomful of strangers, Nick tense and unhappy and watchful again, both of them drinking fast and hard to make the night pass quicker.

"Are you sure?" Charlene leant forward, smiling. "We'd love to take you with us. We'd have a lot of fun."

Nick leaned back in his chair, closer to Cody, away from Charlene's cleavage. "I think you'll have more fun without us, you know? Me and Cody will only slow you down with all those high-powered types."

"Oh no, Nick! They're really fun guys, and I'm sure you'd love them. We're gonna party up a storm tonight, aren't we honey?" He turned to Charlene.

"We sure are," she agreed, smiling back at him.

"I bet you are," Cody said, chuckling, and sat forward in his chair, pushing his shoulder against Nick's. "But Nick and me, we feel like a quiet night tonight. You guys go ahead."

"Alone for New Year's?" Murray looked from Cody to Nick. "But guys, there's great parties on tonight. It's the funnest night of the year!"

"Don't you worry about us, Boz." Nick laid his fork down and grinned across the table at Murray and Charlene. "We wont be alone, you know? Straightaway's is a great place to see the New Year in. You know that, man."

"I do know that!" Murray's anxious look was wiped away by a wide grin. "Charlene, did I tell you about the time Roboz ran the New Year's countdown over there? That was such a boss night."

"Everyone ready for dessert?" Nick stood up, his hand closing on Cody's shoulder.

Cody looked up and grinned to see Nick looking back at him. They weren't going to Straightaway's or anywhere else tonight. If Cody hadn't known that before, the hungry question in Nick's eyes was proof enough. He twitched his shoulder under Nick's hand, an answer and a promise, and Nick squeezed back as he turned to their friends.

Dessert passed pleasantly. Murray's exclamations about the excellence of the chocolate cake drowned Charlene's renewed attempt to persuade their friends to accompany them to the party, and Cody diverted the conversation by asking Murray about the progress of a new invention he and Nick had helped test.

"It's interesting you asked about that," Murray said, leaning forward. "The Boztalk 4000 needs some further testing, and - uh - well, what would you say to doing some work for Roboztics? Officially, I mean."

"Officially?" Cody raised an eyebrow.

Nick frowned. "Murray, we're your friends. If you need a hand, you know we'll - "

"I know, Nick!" Murray interrupted, raising both hands excitedly. "But the thing is, this testing has to be done officially, by Roboztics Inc staff, or else I can't publish my findings."

"I guess that makes sense." Nick was still frowning. He shifted closer to Cody, nudging him with his shoulder.

"This testing's really important to me. There's - there's not many people I'd trust with it." Murray hesitated. "Will you at least consider it?" he asked.

Cody looked at Nick, and shrugged slightly at his partner's worried look. _Worth thinking about?_

Nick's frown cleared, and he gave Cody a slow nod. _I wanna help him out, you know?_

 _I know, buddy._ Cody nudged Nick's shoulder gently with his own, and turned to Murray with a smile. "We will, Boz," he promised.

"Oh, that's so great. Since the original Boztalk - you remember you helped me test that, right? I've made some really exciting breakthroughs. And you know, Nick, that time I helped you with the radio in the Mimi gave me so many ideas."

Cody nodded at Murray as his partner expounded the new features of his invention. He arranged his features into the interested look he'd honed through countless cases, the one Murray expected.

As soon as they'd finished dessert, Charlene stood up. She put her hand on Murray's shoulder, and he stopped his discourse instantly, looking up at her then shoving his chair back and standing hurriedly.

Cody exchanged a look with Nick, one eyebrow raised.

"Guys, we should go," Murray said, his hands clasping at his fiancee's arm. "We - we can't be late tonight, me and Charlene. This party's kind of important - "

"Sure it is, Murray." Nick clapped him on the shoulder as Cody stood and reached for Charlene's hand.

They saw their friends off amidst good wishes for the new year, and admonitions from Murray to hurry over to Straightaway's before they missed all the fun.

"Sit down," Nick said softly to Cody as the tail-lights of Murray and Charlene's taxi disappeared around the corner.

Cody dropped obediently into the corner of the padded bench seat behind the wheelhouse, watching as Nick disappeared below. Faintly, he could hear voices floating towards the boat, revelers from Straightaway's or other boats, he figured, and he sighed, briefly closing his eyes.

Joining other partygoers was the last thing he wanted to do tonight. All day he'd been thinking about this moment, the time after dark when he and Nick would finally be alone again.

He smiled as he heard Nick's step on the stair, and opened his eyes as his partner sat down next to him, warmth and strength pressed close. "Hey," he murmured.

"Hey," Nick replied, softly, and Cody took the bottle of beer from his hand and nestled close as Nick's arm slid around him.

"What'd you think about Murray's testing idea?" Cody asked, and felt Nick's sigh against his neck.

"Not sure, babe." Nick took a swallow from his beer. "I want to help him out. I'm just not sure if going on the Roboztics payroll is the best way to do that."

Cody nodded. "I know what you mean, buddy. Whaddaya say we have lunch with the Boz next week? Get him to lay it all out for us?"

"Great idea." Nick squeezed Cody's shoulders. "Without Charlene there. She's kinda bossy, don't you think?"

"A little, maybe." Cody hesitated. "You know how Murray gets, though, Nick. Maybe... she has to be?"

"Guess so." Nick shrugged again and fell silent, his hand moving gently on Cody's back, and Cody laid his head down on his partner's shoulder, thinking about the years the three of them had spent as private investigators. They'd been good years, he'd never deny that, but they'd been hard years too.

Those five years had burned all three of them, one way or another, and the thought of reopening the agency now that tourist work was slowing down had been preying on Cody's mind. The tourist business hadn't exactly been exciting, but he was starting to think he and Nick had had enough excitement to last them the rest of their lives.

They'd met in war and come together instantly, finding safety in each other, the only measure of peace in a world gone to hell. Stateside had been a different kind of hell. Cody suppressed a shudder as he thought of the months he'd spent alone, before he'd finally found his way back to Nick.

"What, baby?" Nick whispered, pulling him closer.

"Thinking of the past," Cody muttered, and felt Nick's arms tighten around him in answer. He sighed. For them, the war hadn't ended when they'd come home. They'd left Vietnam in '74, sickened and cynical, unfit for peace or peacetime. He could still taste the fear and confusion he'd felt as he'd tried to fit himself back into the life he'd left.

Failing at peace, they'd settled for familiarity and joined the Military Police. And they'd ended up here, private detectives, risking their lives on a sometimes daily basis for meager rewards.

Since they'd closed the agency, they'd both had less nightmares. Nick was looking more relaxed, more like he'd been when they were fitting out the Riptide. More like he'd been in Mexico. Perhaps Nick was finally figuring out how to live with peace, Cody thought. Perhaps they both were.

Cody turned his head and lightly kissed Nick's neck.

The idea Murray had broached tonight, testing for Roboztics, felt something like a reprieve. If only Nick would agree to it. Nick hated being anyone's employee, and the thought of taking Murray's money felt wrong to Cody, too. Murray had said he needed their help, though...

Cody rubbed his head slowly against Nick's shoulder and smiled as his partner pressed a kiss against the top of his head. His Nick, independent, stubborn and ready to do anything to help out a friend. No matter how inconvenient, difficult or plain damn crazy that thing might be.

He figured they'd be on the Roboztics payroll before the end of the week.

"Happy New Year," Cody said softly, raising his head. "I think it's gonna be a good one, Nick."

"I know it is." Nick smiled, blue eyes fixed on Cody's, and Cody felt his heart swell at the love and warmth in them. Nick leaned in slowly, one hand gentle on Cody's cheek, and Cody closed his eyes as Nick's lips, soft, warm and full, caressed his own. The kiss deepened and Cody pressed closer against Nick, clutching at his partner's sweater.

"Happy New Year, Cody," Nick whispered against his lips. "Now, whaddaya say we go below? It's getting kinda chilly out here, you know?"


End file.
